WANTED : Sly Cooper :: Dead
by Teenbat
Summary: A lot of stuff has happened in the year that Sly has been with Carmelita. But that's nothing compared to what is about to happen. AU - Everything that has happened UP TO Sly 4 is still part of this time line, but I am changing what happens after Sly 3. T to be safe. Chapter 1 published/updated.


**CHAPTER 1: A Quick Start**

Sly rapped his fingers against the oaken desk, waiting for the return of his partner, Carmelita. She was late, which was normal, as she was so persistent in chasing criminals. _It's time, _Sly thought. He knew the truth would have to come out eventually. He had thought it would be easier than this, keeping his quick hands out of the pockets of the ignorant, but sometimes those ticks came, and his palms would sweat, and his eyes would started to tear up. _That's when it was the most painful._

Carmelita, in trying to 'reform' Sly, had told him that he needed a refresher course in order to continue his lawful duties. Sly had thought nothing much of it, going along with it to soothe Carmelita's nerves, but the training and books had changed his mind, slowly turning him into the 'Constable' that he was supposed to be. After defeating Dr. M, Carmelita had taken Sly to Mexico where he could more easily be accepted into the force; compared to Paris, where his posters were plastered over every wall and the rewards were in the hundreds of thousands.

There had been the occasional French Marshal, but they were easily lost in the crowded buildings and bustling streets. Sly had feigned naivety, supporting Carmelita whenever she talked of the 'special assignments', which of course were real; they just didn't include Sly in the description. He knew that he wasn't supposed to be doing what he was doing. In more ways than one, he was breaking the law more often than in his previous life.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Sly heard boots in the hallway, heavy _thumps _echoing through the small office. _Alright, here we go. _Sly walked to the edge of the room and became as unassuming as possible, rubbing his hands together and unlatching the window. _No need to take any chances._ The room was high up, four stories, but if Sly landed _just _right, he would be fine, hitting the _Policía_ overhang, and then sliding right onto his motorcycle.

There was a click and the door swung open, shaking the window as it slammed into the wall. Sly took a deep breath. "Hey, uh, there is something I need to tell you. Please, just think about everything I say before you react."

"If they're your last words, I'll listen." _Huh?_

It was a deep male's voice. _Not what I expected… The landlord?_

Sly turned his head quickly, seeing the large gorilla popping his knuckles just moments before he lunged. _If he grabs me, he'll either grip so hard that I won't be able to escape or he'll just pound me to a paste, _Sly thought as he crouched into his ready stance. The gorilla's arms swung into empty space above Sly's head. _I've still got it. _Those evening climbs definitely paid off. Sly quickly snatched into the gorilla's pocket, grabbing an ID. It went right into his chest lapel, it wouldn't garner a look until he had time and was safe.

_The window is open, so I can either push _him _out, or _I_ can jump out myself. _Sly knew that the gorilla was upwards of 300 pounds, and he had no chance of pushing that much pure muscle. _Well, I got only one choice then, huh? _By now the gorilla had regained his composure and was coming as Sly again. He pushed off with his legs, leaping out from under the beast. He landed near the desk, rolling underneath it. _I could really use my Cane right about now. _Bentley currently had it, as Sly had given it, and his pouch, up as he left Kayne Island a year or so earlier.

The gorilla hadn't bothered closing the door, so it was wide open. _Perfect. That takes preference over a forty foot fall. _Sly rolled out from under the desk and got up on his hands and knees. He was about to pull himself forward, effectively propelling himself out of the door, when the gorilla gripped the edge of the desk and threw it into an upward spin. It nearly took Sly's head off, landing on the other side of him, then sliding to a halt right in the door way.

Sly was trapped; desk blocking the door, hulking gorilla frame blocking the window, on all fours, staring, making no motion to apprehend him. He had probably come to the same conclusion as Sly. It would probably be best to figure out why he was going to die now, rather than never knowing at all. "Why are you here?" he said, the timidity obvious in his voice.

The gorilla snorted, then spoke. "I'm here to do one of two things. Capture you. Or kill you. Even a dimwitted hippo could have figured that out." The right corner of the gorilla's lip raised in a smirk, wrinkling the scar that ran vertically across it.

_If Murray were here he would show you how dimwitted he was. With his fists. _"I meant 'why are you doing this? _Why _are you trying to capture me?'"

The gorilla sighed. "Or kill you, don't forget that. Don't forget the killing part."

"Or kill me..." Sly was getting impatient. He stood up to his full height. The gorilla puffed out his chest and smacked his lips, trying to show who was in charge here.

"The funny thing is, I really couldn't tell you. I just get paid to 'collect' individuals, drop them off at specified locations, and forget all about it." _Oh great, a mercenary. They have no rules._

"Well, I can't let you do that." Sly grabbed the framed photo on the wall next to him and frisbeed it, right at the gorilla's face. It didn't hit, the gorilla grabbed it out of the air, but it distracted him just enough.

Sly jumped straight up, arms outstretched, his hands punching through the grate on the ceiling. The gorilla roared. The metal lip gave just enough purchase to grab and hoist himself up. Sly was now in the vent. He could hear the gorilla roaring and throwing things before finally speaking, quietly, indistinctly. _A cell phone call_. That wasn't good. There were definitely other mercenaries outside, in case Sly escaped, which he was very good at doing.

Sly was wiggling through the vents when he heard a surprised gasp, then "What's this?!"

_Carmelita is back. Talking to her will have to wait._


End file.
